Het Orgel

Articles

On 5-8 September, 2013, a large-scale symposium was devoted to two
well-known musicians who characterized the musical life of Hamburg
in the 17th century: the organist Heinrich Scheidemann and the
cantor Thomas Selle. Both died 350 years ago, in the plague year
1663. Also this year (2013) the newly reconstructed ‘old’ organ of
the Katharinenkirche was inaugurated, that is, the organ in the
church that Scheidemann served for many years and where Selle was
also regularly heard. The balanced program was organized around a
number of themes, with five lectures on each: (a) general aspects
Hamburg’s musical life at that time, (b) Scheidemann, (c) Selle, and
(d) the organ, in particular that in the Katherinenkirche. There was
also a small exhibition with autographs of Scheidemann and his
Hamburg contemporaries. Nine concerts were given with programs
related to the themes. As an annex to the symposium, there was a
master class ‘Scheidemann’ on the new organ of the Katherinenkirche
on 9 and 10 September. The organization of the very successful
symposium was carried out by the musicologist Ulf Grapenthin, in
coöperation with the Hamburg Museum (where most of the lectures were
given), the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, and the
Hauptkirche St.Katherinen. An excellent selection of speakers was
heard by an audience of about 50 from various countries (among which
Germany, Russia, Sweden, USA, Belgium, The Netherlands). The
Netherlands provided 3 speakers and 3 listeners. The complete texts
of the lectures will be published in a symposium report.